The comment of the German foreign ministry on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's disqualification from the Lok Sabha has triggered a war of words between Law Minister Kiren Rijiju and Congress leaders on Thursday. Mr Rijiju took to Twitter to accuse Mr Gandhi of inviting "foreign powers" to interfere in India's internal matters.

 

"Thank you Rahul Gandhi for inviting foreign powers for interference into India’s internal matters. Remember, Indian Judiciary can't be influenced by foreign interference. India won't tolerate 'foreign influence' anymore because our Prime Minister is:- Shri @narendramodi Ji," tweeted the Law Minister. Mr Rijiju's tweet targeting Mr Gandhi was in response to a tweet from senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh who thanked the German Foreign Affairs Ministry for "taking note of how democracy is being compromised through persecution of @RahulGandhi". 

 

On Wednesday, Germany had said that the “standards of judicial independence and fundamental democratic principles” should apply in the case of Mr Gandhi after his disqualification as a member of Parliament (MP) following his conviction in a defamation case. Responding to Mr Rijiju's tweet, Congress leader Pawan Khera, who heads the media and publicity department, tweets "Mr. Rijiju, why divert from the main issue? The issue is that the Prime Minister cannot answer Rahul Gandhi’s questions about Adani. Instead of misleading people, please answer the questions?".

 

The comment from Germany on Rahul Gandhi's disqualification has led to a war of words between Kiren Rijiju and Congress leaders. While the Law Minister has accused Mr Gandhi of inviting foreign powers to interfere in India's internal matters, Congress leaders have accused the Prime Minister of not answering questions about Adani. It remains to be seen how the situation will unfold in the coming days. Reference source: TH

 

UPSC Main Exam Question

 

Discuss the principles of sovereignty in international law and explain the circumstances under which a foreign country may be able to comment on the internal matters of another country. 

 

Answer: The principle of sovereignty is a fundamental tenet of international law, which recognizes that each state has exclusive authority over its own affairs and is not subject to interference from other states. However, this principle is not absolute and is subject to certain limitations.

 

One circumstance under which a foreign country may be able to comment on the internal matters of another country is when the issue at hand has an impact beyond the borders of the country in question. For example, human rights violations, environmental degradation, and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction can have serious global consequences and may therefore be subject to international scrutiny. Foreign countries may also be able to comment on issues that affect their own citizens or interests, such as trade policies or immigration laws.

 

The ability of a foreign country to comment on the internal matters of another country also depends on the relationship between the two countries. For instance, countries that have close diplomatic or economic ties may be more likely to engage in dialogue and offer comments on each other's internal affairs, while countries with strained relations may be less likely to do so.

 

However, foreign countries need to be cautious and diplomatic while commenting on the internal matters of another country as it may impact the relationship between the countries. The sovereignty of a nation should be respected and any comments should be made with the objective of ensuring the welfare of humanity as a whole.

 

In conclusion, while the principle of sovereignty is a fundamental principle of international law, there are circumstances under which foreign countries may be able to comment on the internal matters of another country. However, such comments should be made with diplomacy and with the objective of ensuring the welfare of humanity as a whole.

 

Image: Kiren Rijiju/Twitter